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The Plot and the Pendulum
The Plot and the Pendulum
Jenn McKinlay | 2022 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Cold Case Become Very Hot Again
It’s October in Briar Creek, and local gossip is stirring thanks to the return to town of William Dorchester whose ex-girlfriend vanished a few weeks after marrying someone else. But Lindsey Norris, director of the local library, is more interested in the books that he is donating to the library. The catch is, she needs to pack them up from the Dorchester mansion on the edge of town, a mansion that seems to be trying to creep Lindsey and her friends out even before they make a shocking discovery. Can Lindsey figure out what is going on?

This book is perfect for its October release day. It’s got a spooky edge to it, but fans of the series don’t need to worry, we still have plenty of laughs and fun with the characters we know. I appreciate how the large cast is balanced with some of them given more page time, but everyone making an appearance. The pacing of the plot was a bit uneven, with a bit too much set up leading to an abrupt climax. Still, along the way, we get some fun surprises and suspects. As always, we get some good extras for a book club meeting like Lindsey hosts at the library. If you are looking for a slightly spooky book filled with fun, be sure to pick this one up.
  
Breathe (Breakers Hockey #7)
Breathe (Breakers Hockey #7)
Elise Faber | 2023 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
BREATHE is the seventh book in the Breakers Hockey series and this time it's Theo's turn. He's the playboy of the team, never wanting to settle down. And he has had some major issues with Eva from the very beginning. We now find out why.

Eva and Theo are similar in many ways, and both of them hide their hurt behind walls a mile high. It's only after they've sniped and snarled at each for a while that they begin to realise there might be more between them than just snark. This was a great story showing just how badly family can hurt and also heal.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and its arc, as it moved from enemies, to friends, and then to lovers. Eva and Theo are protective of each other, which I loved. Walker and Dommie have a bit of a sneak story in here. I'm hoping they get to tell their story in full. The pacing is perfect and the little signs of affection - Theo and Eva's love language - is dotted throughout, making this a wonderful read with plenty of emotions.

A great addition to the series and definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 14, 2023
  
A Theory of Crystal: A Paladins of Crystal Novella
A Theory of Crystal: A Paladins of Crystal Novella
Nicola M. Cameron | 2023 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A THEORY OF CRYSTAL is set in the Paladins of Crystal world but features a different main character - Yelena. She is a curvaceous woman with a mind of her own, not ready to be shoehorned into the role her mother wants her to take on. She makes her escape disguised as a boy and heads for a big city to work in the University Library. She is saved from a pack of bullies by three men who are very different from the ones she was supposed to marry.

This was a great read, and I love the world it is set in. Each of the characters has a distinct voice, making it easy to know who is speaking. Some of the comments they came out with were just brilliant. And I loved their reactions to Yelena, both as a boy and as a woman.

Without giving anything away, I loved the surprise cameo at the end, giving this book the perfect ending for Yelena and her men.

A brilliant addition that I just wanted to be longer as I love the world... and the author's writing! Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 16, 2023
  
40x40

BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Winter in Books

Jan 2, 2019  
Winter
Winter
Marissa Meyer | 2016 | Children
8
8.9 (26 Ratings)
Book Rating
Full review to come.I have really enjoyed this series. Exploring a future version of Earth where the moon in populated, there are only a handful of actual "countries", cyborgs, androids, and emperors work together to bring peace and safety to both Lunars and Earthens. However, I found Winter to be mercilessly long. That being said, this was an epic finale to The Lunar Chronicles. I am SO glad that I FINALLY read this series.

I have become quite attached to all of the characters in these books. I think Cress and Scarlet are my personal favorites...along with Thorne and Wolf. Of course, the majority of the series revolves around Cinder and she truly turns out to be a remarkable girl. Winter has MANY different perspectives, making it easy to get a little muddled, but doesn't take long to get in the flow. I think by having so many point of views of the surroundings and activities it helps fill a lot of would be gaps. This is also a contributing factor to why the book is so long. Hardcover is 827 pages in length and took me about a week to complete. To keep this review spoiler free for anyone who hasn't read the first three books, I will simply state that Winter wraps the whole story up quite nicely. And despite its length, this is a journey that I am glad I was a part of.

The Lunar Chronicles is not a Christian series and is marketed as "Young Adult". I feel that it is appropriate for this age group (and adults can enjoy it too of course!). The romance is clean and sweet. There is no foul language that I can think of. There is some violence as the wolf hybrid soldiers reign terror on Luna and Earth. Also there is a pretty epic battle to wrap everything up.

If you enjoy sci-fi and young adult fiction, I think you would enjoy this series! Check it out and let me know your thoughts!

I borrowed Winter from my local library. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
  
***NOTE: I received an advance copy of this book for review through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Julia Snowden is in Busman's Harbor, Maine, wrapping up the tourist season for her family's Clambake business and trying to decide if she will be headed back to her job in New York now that summer is over, or if she will be staying in Maine full-time. When a potential competitor turns up dead in the water, Julia's brother-in-law Sonny finds himself high on the list of suspects. Making matters worse, he is obviously hiding something from Julia, her sister Livvie, and the police. Julia is afraid that her boyfriend, Chris, is hiding something from her too. Since he's one of her reasons to stay in town, the decision to stay or go is just that much harder.

Once again I started a series somewhere other than at the beginning. While you won't be lost reading this book without having read the previous installments, in this case I do wish that I had read books one and two first. I think having a better understanding of the interpersonal relationships beforehand would have been nice, but the author does a good job of keeping you informed without totally rehashing everything that has already happened. With that aside, I really liked the story. There were enough characters and sub-plots to make it hard to guess "whodunnit", yet without being confusing. I felt like I should already have known who did it once Julia finally figured out who the murderer was, but while the conclusion was logical, it was not obvious.

This book is part of a series of culinary mysteries, and recipes like Lobster, Shrimp and Fennel Scampi, Hot Lobster Dip, and Grandma Snowden's Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are sure to make your mouth water.

I will be heading back to Busman's Harbor to read the beginning of this series, and I'm looking forward to more books to come.